Charges filed in 2005 fatal fall at Comcast Center

Friday

An amusement company faces manslaughter charges four years after a young woman died from a fall from one of their climbing walls during a concert at the Comcast Center in Mansfield.

An amusement company faces manslaughter charges four years after a young woman died from a fall from one of their climbing walls during a concert at the Comcast Center in Mansfield.

Kaplan and Robbins Inc. was indicted Thursday by a Bristol County grand jury on manslaughter charges, District Attorney Sam Sutter announced.

Stacy Sarrette, 24, of Saugus died as a result of injuries suffered from a fall while climbing a rock wall at the former Tweeter Center in Mansfield in 2005.

Kaplan and Robbins Inc. was indicted for corporate manslaughter due to its alleged reckless and wanton negligence, according to the DA’s office. The corporation will also be arraigned in Superior Court on a date yet to be determined.

The case was investigated by Trooper Anne Marie Robinson of District Attorney Sutter’s State Police Unit.

“Our lengthy investigation into this incident revealed this corporation, through its egregious conduct, failed to protect Ms. Sarrette,” Sutter said. “When a corporation offers entertainment or rides that have some risk for patrons, the company must ensure that it has taken all necessary steps to ensure the safety of those who participate. In this case, that clearly was not done. The corporation’s actions with respect to the lack of training provided to its employees and the location of the ride, were both reckless and wanton.”

On May 22, 2005, Sarrette was racing her cousin Kaitlyn Mulcahy up the Rocky Mountain Inflatable Wall at the WKLB Country Music Festival before falling and bouncing on her back and hitting the back of her head on the sidewalk. She suffered severe back, head and neck injuries. She was declared brain dead on her birthday and died on May 27.

Also indicted

Scott J. Douglass, 48, of 114 Martin St. Rehoboth, proprietor of Quality Concrete, 254 Tripp St., Fall River, is charged with a single count of manslaughter in connection with the Aug. 18, 2007, death of 9-year-old Codey Duclos, of Fall River.

Duclos died a day after falling into a concrete sand hopper while playing on a pile of sand at the site of the Quality Concrete plant.

Douglass will be arraigned in Bristol County Superior Court on a date yet to be determined.

“Our investigation shows young Codey Duclos’ tragic death could have been averted were it not for the wanton and reckless conduct of by Mr. Douglass, in his role as owner and proprietor of Quality Concrete, in failing to take any steps to install safeguards that would have protected his employees and the children that were known to play in the area.” Sutter said.

“My job, at its foundation, is to protect the public’s safety,” Sutter said of the two indictments. “Let these indictments serve as a clear signal that the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office will prosecute those who recklessly jeopardize the public’s safety, whether it be a citizen or a corporation.

“I especially want to thank my First Assistant District Attorney William McCauley, along with Assistant District Attorney Pat Bomberg, Trooper Robert Lima of my State Police Unit and Fall River Detective Richard Saraiva for their combined efforts in sorting through a complex criminal investigation.”